TapKO vs Cursed Carnival
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
TapKO
Tap and punch your way to victory in this knockout idle boxing game. Train your fighter, face formidable opponents, and watch the competition pile up. Enjoy uninterrupted gameplay with no ads or in-app purchases as you become the ultimate boxer.
- Rapid fire punching mechanics
- Fighter stat upgrades (strength, defense, speed, health)
- Variety of formidable opponents
- Auto-punch feature
- Exclusive Halfbrick+ membership content
- Early Access gameplay
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Available exclusively for Halfbrick+ members - TapKO is in Early Access! From the creators of Fruit Ninja and Jetpack Joyride, get ready to rumble with TapKO - the knockout idle game that packs a punch! Jab, bob, and weave your way to the top, and train your fighter to become the ultimate boxer. Play it now to help shape the future of the game! KEY FEATURES: ● Rapid Fire Punches: Tap your way to victory! The faster you tap, the quicker they topple ● Uninterrupted gameplay without ads or in-app purchases ● Power in Your Hands: Boost your fighter's strength, defense, speed, and health ● Formidable Opponents: Take on a variety of different contenders ● Pile ‘em high! Watch the competition pile up as you knockout foe after foe ● Auto punch! Build up your speed to punch while you sit back and enjoy the fight WHAT'S HALFBRICK+ Halfbrick+ is a mobile games subscription service featuring: ● Exclusive access to the highest-rated games ● No ads or in app purchases ● Brought to you by the makers of Award-winning mobile games ● Regular updates and new games ● Curated by hand - for gamers by gamers! Kick off your Guest Access with 60 minutes of gameplay! If you like what you see, start your One Month free trial and play all our games without ads, in app purchases, and fully unlocked games! Your subscription will auto-renew after 30 days, or save money with an annual membership! If you have any questions, please contact our support team https://support.halfbrick.com *************************************** Terms of Use: https://www.halfbrick.com/subscription-agreement Privacy Policy: https://www.halfbrick.com/halfbrick-plus-privacy-policy
Cursed Carnival
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Step right up — one thumb, one haunted machine, one more run. Cursed Carnival is an easy-to-play arcade survivor set in a spooky fairground. A cursed slot machine fights for you — you just move and dodge. Slip between the monsters, scoop up their souls, and clear the toll before the timer runs out. Simple to pick up, hard to put down. Every few rounds a Guardian shows up. Roll through the carousel, the ghost train, the furnace and beyond — see how far you can go. • EASY ONE-THUMB CONTROLS — drag to move and dodge; your machine attacks on its own. • GET STRONGER FAST — pick a perk after every round and level up mid-fight. • BEAT THE GUARDIANS — flashy bosses with attacks you can learn and dodge. • UNLOCK EVERYTHING — spend souls in the Workshop, collect heroes and lights. • PLAY WHEN YOU LIKE — a run costs one ticket. You hold five, and one comes back every 15 minutes on its own. In a hurry? Watch an ad or spend gems — never required. • A FREE CHEST EVERY DAY — one tap, one optional ad, odds written in plain words on screen: tokens, a ticket, gems, or rarely a light. Spend your gems on tickets, on a second chance mid-run, or on the daily half-price collectible. • MODES THAT OPEN UP — Adventure, Campaign and Tour from the start; Endless unlocks once you reach toll 8. Hand-painted, spooky-cute carnival vibes. Quick runs, big combos, just one more go. Free to play. Optional ads & in-app purchases. Plays offline.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Cursed Carnival at every 3 weeks against TapKO's every 3 months. TapKO's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. TapKO sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Cursed Carnival sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
TapKO ships an update every 3 months, Cursed Carnival every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | TapKO | Cursed Carnival |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.4 (8 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 8 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 306 MB | 677 MB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | Halfbrick Studios | Illan Knafou |
In-app purchases
TapKO
- Halfbrick+$2.991 Month
- Halfbrick+ (Early Adopters)6 Months trial$2.991 Month
- Halfbrick+ (Trial)1 Month trial$2.991 Month
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- Halfbrick+ (Yearly discount)$2.991 Month
- Halfbrick+3 variants$29.991 Year
- Halfbrick+1 Year trial$29.991 Year
- Halfbrick+$99.99
Cursed Carnival
- 100 Gems$0.99
- Starter Pack$1.99
- 300 Gems$2.99
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- Barker's Pack$4.99
- 800 Gems$5.99
Questions
Is TapKO free?
Is Cursed Carnival free?
Do TapKO or Cursed Carnival have ads?
Which is updated more often, TapKO or Cursed Carnival?
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